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Column 2 Includables

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On the eve of another US war for oil, Abby Martin debunks the most repeated myths about Venezuela and uncovers how US sanctions are crimes against humanity with UN investigator and human rights Rapporteur Alfred De Zayas.

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Daily Archives: 2019-02-03

Conn Hallinan(2019-02-03). Edging Toward War With Iran?zcomm.orgIt's unpopular at home and abroad, and regional politics don't favor it. But we should take neocons like Bolton at their word…

teleSUR(2019-02-03). US Army Admits to Deadly Airstrike in Somalia.telesurenglish.netDespite earlier this month claiming that, "the Al-Shabab group is no longer a direct threat to the United States," 13 Al-Shabab fighters were killed in Somalia after an airstrike outside the capital, Mogadishu, on Friday deliberately targeted Al-Shabab fighters. | RELATED: | US Military to Shift Focus From Syria And Somalia | U.S. Africom claimed direct responsiblilty, issuing a statement that read, "To support the Federal Government of Somalia's continued efforts to degrade al-Shabab, US…

unitedEditor(2019-02-02). Turkey and Russia in Syria: what are they pressing for?uwidata.com The decision by US President Donald to pull American troops out of Syria has opened the path for a new process in Syrian conflict settlement. The active actors in the conflict are revising their policies and seeking to fortify their positions. Russian that has played an important role in the civil war in Syria and […]

STAFF(2019-02-02). The Media's Pro-Israel Bias Echoes Coverage of Apartheid.truthdig.comWhen apartheid reigned in South Africa, Western media commentary frequently suggested that if a one person, one vote system were adopted, black South Africans would massacre whites, oppress them or force them to flee. The same line of thinking can today be found in media discussions of Israel/Palestine, with warnings that Israelis and Palestinians sharing a single, democratic country would lead to Palestinians slaughtering Jewish people or driving them out. Such analyses reveal the racist assumption that black people and Arabs are too prone to irrational violence to be trusted with democracy. | A New York Times (…

Naomi LaChance(2019-02-02). Freezing Inmates Desperate for Heat at Federal Detention Center in Brooklyn.truthdig.com More than a thousand people incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., say they have been locked in freezing cells for a week. Activists and inmates' family members gathered outside the federal facility on Saturday to demand humane conditions. | A power outage has left the jail's more than 1,600 inmates to endure this week's brutal cold snap without light or heat. Because they are also without computers, inmates have been unable to contact loved ones, renew medical prescriptions or email attorneys for…

STAFF(2019-02-02). Activists Call for Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's Resignation.truthdig.comDemocratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is facing intensifying demands for his resignation from all sides on Saturday after a photo from his medical school days surfaced on Friday exposed "uninhibited" racist behavior from his past. | While the image shows one person in blackface standing next to another individual in a Ku Klux Klan uniform, Northam on Friday apologized for the photo but did not divulge which of the two people might be him nor tender his resignation. "I am ready to do the hard work of regaining your trust," Northam said. | But…

Shared by Jocelyn Dombroski(2019-02-02). Why did Hamas Refuse Aid Money from Qatar?therealnews.com Imad Al-Soos discusses the massive changes in the relationship between the Israeli government in Hamas in Gaza in the last months, and how Hamas's new policies affect the lives of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies(2019-02-01). Will Iran Sanctions Herald the Fall of the Imperial Dollar?counterpunch.orgWhen the Trump administration unilaterally pulled out of the Iran nuclear agreement in May 2018 and announced it would reimpose sanctions against Iran, the European Union (EU) declared its commitment to preserving the agreement and finding ways for its companies to circumvent U.S. sanctions. Now, eight months later, the Europeans finally announced the creation of More

Michael Hudson(2019-02-01). Trump's Brilliant Strategy to Dismember U.S. Dollar Hegemony.counterpunch.org The end of America's unchallenged global economic dominance has arrived sooner than expected, thanks to the very same Neocons who gave the world the Iraq, Syria and the dirty wars in Latin America. Just as the Vietnam War drove the United States off gold by 1971, its violent regime change warfare against Venezuela and Syria — and threatening other countries with sanctions if they do not join this crusade — is driving European and other nations to create their alternative financial institutions. | This break has been building for quite some time, and was bound to occur. But who would have thought that…

Garikai Chengu(2019-02-01). Sanctions of Mass Destruction: America's War on Venezuela.counterpunch.org American economic sanctions have been the worst crime against humanity since World War Two. America's economic sanctions have killed more innocent people than all of the nuclear, biological and chemical weapons ever used in the history of mankind. The fact that for America the issue in Venezuela is oil, not democracy, will surprise only those More

Gregory Shupak(2019-02-01). The Same Media That Opposed Democracy in South Africa Now Warn Against It in Israel/Palestine.fair.org Richard Neely wrote in the New York Times ( 9/20/81), "Whites are not just potentially at war against nonwhites — everyone is potentially at war against everyone else," suggesting the inevitable demise of Asians in South Africa under a one person, one vote system. | When apartheid reigned in South Africa, Western media commentary frequently suggested that if a one person, one vote system were adopted, black South Africans would massacre whites, oppress them or force them to flee. The same line of…

Nicolas J.S. Davies(2019-02-01). The Hidden Structure of U.S. Empire.zcomm.orgThis self-reinforcing vicious circle endangers us all, not least those of us who live at the heart of this corrupt and ultimately self-destructive empire…

Rob Urie(2019-02-01). Democrats Killed the Green New Deal.counterpunch.org Environmental activists received a reality check when newly empowered Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives pushed aside demands for an environmental economic transition program— a Green New Deal, in favor of reviving a toothless committee to 'study' the problem. A transition program is needed to mitigate the economic dislocations that will result from resolving the multiple environmental crises currently underway. More

Paul Dobson(2019-02-01). "5,000 troops to Colombia": U.S. threats against Venezuela increase.peoplesworld.org MÉRIDA, Venezuela—Self-proclaimed "interim president" Juan Guaidó named a number of "diplomatic representatives" to those countries which have recognized him during the past week. The government of Nicolás Maduro, the actual president of Venezuela, along with its international allies are responding to new U.S. oil sanctions and preparing for possible military intervention. Guaidó designated fellow high-profile opposition members …

Juan Cole(2019-02-01). Trump Explodes at CIA over Iran: "Naive and Passive," "Go Back to School!"mintpressnews.comAnn Arbor ( Informed Comment) — Our great leader has delivered himself of some weighty pronouncements about Iran, about which he knows not a single little thing, likely even where exactly it is. He called the US intelligence agencies "passive and naive" on Iran, said that Tehran had become less active since Trump violated the 2015 nuclear deal, said Iran's economy is crashing, and urged Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and CIA director Gina Haspel to "go back to school." | The Intelligence people seem to be extremely pass…

Brett Wilkins(2019-02-01). Elliott Abrams: A Human Rights Horror Show in Three Acts.counterpunch.orgLast Friday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that Elliott Abrams would once again be returning to government, this time as President Donald Trump's special envoy to help "fully restore democracy and prosperity" to Venezuela. Abrams, 71, is best known for abetting dictators and genocide in Latin America and for his role in the Iran-Contra scandal during More

stuart_m(2019-02-01). 45 Fridays on, Gaza is still resisting.greenleft.org.au The 45th Friday of the Great March of Return took place on February 1. Each Friday since March 30 last year, Gazans have defied Israeli snipers — who have shot unarmed protesters, journalists and medics — to demand their right to return to their now Israeli-occupied lands. | The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories ( OCHA-OPT) said there have been more than 26,000 Palestinian injuries since the Great March began. Israeli injuries stand at 23. | Whereas Israeli injuries can be tr…

Jason Ditz(2019-02-01). Senate Vote Opposes Ending US Wars in Syria and Afghanistan.theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — In a surprising vote Thursday, the Senate voted 68-23 to pass a resolution from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) expressing opposition to President Trump's plan to withdraw US troops from Syria, and expressing opposition to any theoretical pullout from Afghanistan that might result from a negotiated deal to end that war. The non-binding resolution was passed …

stuart_m(2019-02-01). Iranian workers' protests confront a regime in crisis.greenleft.org.au Protests are continuing throughout Iran by teachers, nurses, labourers, retirees, oil industry workers, bazaar traders and shopkeepers, truck drivers, farmers, the unemployed, students, and other sectors, writes Minna Langeberg. | The current wave of protests continue those from December, which were brutally suppressed by the regime. They signal the deep crisis of legitimacy of the regime, as expressed by one of the most enduring slogans that emerged, "Fundamentalists, reformists, the game is over". | The main slogan of the current protests is "Bread. Work. Freedom". They are sporadic, self-organised, fragmented…

Shared by Cherise(2019-02-01). "Always in Season" Looks at 2014 Hanging in North Carolina and Racial Terrorism.truthout.orgAs we mark the beginning of Black History Month, we look at Always in Season, a disturbing new documentary that examines lynching in the United States both past and present. It also looks closely at the case of Lennon Lacy, a 17-year-old African-American high school student who, on August 29, 2014, was found hanging from two belts attached to a wooden swing set in a largely white trailer park in Bladenboro, North Carolina. Local authorities quickly determined his death to be a suicide, but Lacy's family and local civil rights activists feared authorities may have been covering up a lynching. We speak with Lacy…

stuart_m(2019-02-01). Australian activists say: to help Venezuela, lift sanctions and end intervention.greenleft.org.au Australian solidarity activists are calling on Prime Minister Scott Morrison's government to demand the United States lift its sanctions on Venezuela and rule out any military intervention in the South American country. | Federico Fuentes, co-author of Latin America's Turbulent Transitions and co-convenor of the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network, said: "It is well known that Venezuela is passing through the worst economic crisis in its history. | "While focus has been placed on falling international oil prices and economic mismanagement by the Nicolas Maduro government, little attention has been paid to…

Democracy Now!(2019-01-31). Headlines for January 31, 2019.democracynow.orgVenezuela: U.S. Urges Military to Back Guaidó as Protesters Take to Streets, Reuters: UAE Hired Ex-NSA Agents to Spy on Opponents and Critics, Congress Reintroduces War Powers Resolution to End War on Yemen, Trump Hits Back After Intelligence Chiefs Contradict Him on Iran, N. Korea, Israeli Forces Kill Teenage Palestinian Girl at West Bank Checkpoint, Israel: Thousands of Israeli Ethiopians Protest Racism, Police Brutality, Migrants: Scores Killed in 2 Boat Wrecks Off Djibouti Coast, Humanitarian Ship Docks in Italy After European Nations Agree to Process Migrants, Colombia: 2 Community Leaders Killed Amid Mounti…

Fight Back(2019-01-31). Minneapolis: Fundraising event nets more than $3000 for Fight Back!fightbacknews.orgMinneapolis, MN — More than 75 trade unionists, anti-police-terror, immigrant rights, anti-war and student activists came together January 26 for a successful house party that netted more than $3000 for Fight Back!. | One of the event organizers, Matt Boynton stated, "The revolutionary press is of major importance in the struggle against capitalism in this country and around the globe. This fundraiser for Fight Back! was an incredible success." | Leader of trade unions and other people's organizations offered short toasts where they explained the importance of Fight Back! to their work. | Fight Back! editor…

Edging Toward War With Iran?
Conn Hallinan | zcomm.org | 2019-02-03
It's unpopular at home and abroad, and regional politics don't favor it. But we should take neocons like Bolton at their word…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/edging-toward-war-with-iran/

US Army Admits to Deadly Airstrike in Somalia
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-02-03
Despite earlier this month claiming that, "the Al-Shabab group is no longer a direct threat to the United States," 13 Al-Shabab fighters were killed in Somalia after an airstrike outside the capital, Mogadishu, on Friday deliberately targeted Al-Shabab fighters. | RELATED: | US Military to Shift Focus From Syria And Somalia | U.S. Africom claimed direct responsiblilty, issuing a statement that read, "To support the Federal Government of Somalia's continued efforts to degrade al-Shabab, US…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Army-Admits-to-Deadly-Airstrike-in-Somalia-20190203-0003.html

Will Iran Sanctions Herald the Fall of the Imperial Dollar?
Medea Benjamin | globalresearch.ca | 2019-02-02
When the Trump administration unilaterally pulled out of the Iran nuclear agreement in May 2018 and announced it would reimpose sanctions against Iran, the European Union (EU) declared its commitment to preserving the agreement and finding ways for its companies … | The post Will Iran Sanctions Herald the Fall of the Imperial Dollar? appeared first on Global Research.
globalresearch.ca/iran-sanctions-herald-fall-imperial-dollar/5667289

Turkey and Russia in Syria: what are they pressing for?
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-02-02
The decision by US President Donald to pull American troops out of Syria has opened the path for a new process in Syrian conflict settlement. The active actors in the conflict are revising their policies and seeking to fortify their positions. Russian that has played an important role in the civil war in Syria and […] | The post Turkey and Russia in Syria: what are they pressing for? appeared first on United World International.
uwidata.com/1800-turkey-and-russia-in-syria-what-are-they-pressing-for/

The Media's Pro-Israel Bias Echoes Coverage of Apartheid
STAFF | truthdig.com | 2019-02-02
When apartheid reigned in South Africa, Western media commentary frequently suggested that if a one person, one vote system were adopted, black South Africans would massacre whites, oppress them or force them to flee. The same line of thinking can today be found in media discussions of Israel/Palestine, with warnings that Israelis and Palestinians sharing a single, democratic country would lead to Palestinians slaughtering Jewish people or driving them out. Such analyses reveal the racist assumption that black people and Arabs are too prone to irrational violence to be trusted with democracy. | A New York Times (…
truthdig.com/articles/the-medias-pro-israel-bias-echoes-coverage-of-apartheid/

ISTEX: The New EU Financial Mechanism for Trade with Iran: Bypassing the Dollar?
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-02-02
The Trump regime withdrew from the JCPOA nuclear deal last May. Since then, signals from EU countries have been mixed. | Invoking the European blocking statute, updating it, effective last August, to protect EU companies doing legitimate business with Iran from … | The post ISTEX: The New EU Financial Mechanism for Trade with Iran: Bypassing the Dollar? appeared first on Global Research.
globalresearch.ca/istex-the-new-eu-financial-mechanism-for-trade-with-iran-bypassing-the-dollar/5667325

Evo Morales Visits Venezuela, Rejects 'Empire's Coup'
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-02-02
The president of Bolivia Evo Morales arrived in Venezuela Friday evening and held a meeting with his counterpart Nicolas Maduro in a show of support and solidarity for the Venezuelan leftist government against the U.S.-led coup and intervention. | RELATED: | Jeremy Corbyn Rejects US, UK Gov'ts Intervention in Venezuela | "We met with the brother president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro and we expressed our full support against the interventionist coup of the empire that seeks to tak…
telesurenglish.net/news/Evo-Morales-Visits-Venezuela-Rejects-Empires-Coup-Against-Maduro-20190202-0008.html

Venezuelan Opposition Rally With Israeli Flags, Trump Masks
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-02-02
As thousands of supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro gathered in Caracas to mark the 20th anniversary of the Bolivarian revolution, opposition groups attended a rally led by "interim president" Juan Guaido carrying more than one symbol in support of interventionism. | RELATED: | Evo Morales Visits Venezuela, Rejects 'Empire's Coup' | In Punto Fijo, the biggest city in the northern Falcon state, people raised a U.S. flag alongside the Venezuelan flag. After the Na…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuelan-Opposition-Rally-With-Israeli-Flags-Trump-Masks-20190202-0016.html

Activists Call for Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's Resignation
STAFF | truthdig.com | 2019-02-02
Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is facing intensifying demands for his resignation from all sides on Saturday after a photo from his medical school days surfaced on Friday exposed "uninhibited" racist behavior from his past. | While the image shows one person in blackface standing next to another individual in a Ku Klux Klan uniform, Northam on Friday apologized for the photo but did not divulge which of the two people might be him nor tender his resignation. "I am ready to do the hard work of regaining your trust," Northam said. | But…
truthdig.com/articles/activists-call-for-virginia-governor-ralph-northams-resignation/

Freezing Inmates Desperate for Heat at Federal Detention Center in Brooklyn
Naomi LaChance | truthdig.com | 2019-02-02
More than a thousand people incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., say they have been locked in freezing cells for a week. Activists and inmates' family members gathered outside the federal facility on Saturday to demand humane conditions. | A power outage has left the jail's more than 1,600 inmates to endure this week's brutal cold snap without light or heat. Because they are also without computers, inmates have been unable to contact loved ones, renew medical prescriptions or email attorneys for…
truthdig.com/articles/freezing-inmates-desperate-for-heat-at-federal-detention-center-in-brooklyn/

Iranian President Criticizes US Hegemonic Tactics in Venezuela
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-02-02
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the United States Saturday of attempting to impose a "global hegemony" and denounced Washington for its maneuvers to overthrow Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who is an ally of the Islamic Republic, according to Iranian state media. | RELATED: | Venezuela's Maduro Marks 20 Years of Bolivarian Revolution, Calls for Parliamentary Elections | "The Americans are basically against all popular revolutions and inde…
telesurenglish.net/news/Iranian-President-Criticizes-US-Hegemonic-Tactics-in-Venezuela-20190202-0013.html

Why did Hamas Refuse Aid Money from Qatar?
Shared by Jocelyn Dombroski | therealnews.com | 2019-02-02
Imad Al-Soos discusses the massive changes in the relationship between the Israeli government in Hamas in Gaza in the last months, and how Hamas's new policies affect the lives of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip | The post Why did Hamas Refuse Aid Money from Qatar? appeared first on The Real News Network.
therealnews.com/stories/why-did-hamas-refuse-aid-money-from-qatar

Will Iran Sanctions Herald the Fall of the Imperial Dollar?
Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies | counterpunch.org | 2019-02-01
When the Trump administration unilaterally pulled out of the Iran nuclear agreement in May 2018 and announced it would reimpose sanctions against Iran, the European Union (EU) declared its commitment to preserving the agreement and finding ways for its companies to circumvent U.S. sanctions. Now, eight months later, the Europeans finally announced the creation of…
counterpunch.org/2019/02/01/will-iran-sanctions-herald-the-fall-of-the-imperial-dollar/

Losing a Generation: UNICEF Sees Saudi War Robbing Yemeni Children of Their Future
Ahmed Abdulkareem | mintpressnews.com | 2019-02-01
"Without education [young Yemenis] will not be able to find jobs… A generation that is not educated has a very bleak future. We are losing a generation — many children are losing their education, and displacement makes it worse." — Meritxell Relano, Yemen's Director of UNICEF | The post Losing a Generation: UNICEF Sees Saudi War Robbing Yemeni Children of Their Future appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/losing-a-generation-unicef-sees-saudi-war-robbing-yemen-children-of-their-future/254560/

Trump's Brilliant Strategy to Dismember U.S. Dollar Hegemony
Michael Hudson | counterpunch.org | 2019-02-01
The end of America's unchallenged global economic dominance has arrived sooner than expected, thanks to the very same Neocons who gave the world the Iraq, Syria and the dirty wars in Latin America. Just as the Vietnam War drove the United States off gold by 1971, its violent regime change warfare against Venezuela and Syria — and threatening other countries with sanctions if they do not join this crusade — is driving European and other nations to create their alternative financial institutions. | This break has been building for quite some time, and was bound to occur. But who would have thought that…
counterpunch.org/2019/02/01/trumps-brilliant-strategy-to-dismember-u-s-dollar-hegemony/

Sanctions of Mass Destruction: America's War on Venezuela
Garikai Chengu | counterpunch.org | 2019-02-01
American economic sanctions have been the worst crime against humanity since World War Two. America's economic sanctions have killed more innocent people than all of the nuclear, biological and chemical weapons ever used in the history of mankind. The fact that for America the issue in Venezuela is oil, not democracy, will surprise only those…
counterpunch.org/2019/02/01/sanctions-of-mass-destruction-americas-war-on-venezuela/

The Real Target of the Huawei Sanctions and the Trade War
Kei Pritsker | mintpressnews.com | 2019-02-01
The U.S.-China trade war isn't actually about soybeans and steel. Washington fears its iron grip over the post-Soviet world is waning thanks to China's new global initiatives. | The post The Real Target of the Huawei Sanctions and the Trade War appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/the-real-target-of-the-huawei-sanctions-and-the-trade-war-with-china/254570/

The Same Media That Opposed Democracy in South Africa Now Warn Against It in Israel/Palestine
Gregory Shupak | fair.org | 2019-02-01
Richard Neely wrote in the New York Times ( 9/20/81), "Whites are not just potentially at war against nonwhites — everyone is potentially at war against everyone else," suggesting the inevitable demise of Asians in South Africa under a one person, one vote system. | When apartheid reigned in South Africa, Western media commentary frequently suggested that if a one person, one vote system were adopted, black South Africans would massacre whites, oppress them or force them to flee. The same line of…
fair.org/home/the-same-media-that-opposed-democracy-in-south-africa-now-warns-against-it-in-israel-palestine/

"Largest Land Grab Since 1948" — Israel to Expel 36,000 Palestinians From Negev
Whitney Webb | mintpressnews.com | 2019-02-01
Given the Israeli state's rejection of their existence, government officials have called the Palestinians living in these villagers "violators" and "squatters" — accusing them of illegally occupying "state lands." | The post "Largest Land Grab Since 1948" — Israel to Expel 36,000 Palestinians From Negev appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/largest-land-grab-since-1948-israel-to-expel-36000-palestinians-from-negev/254564/

The Hidden Structure of U.S. Empire
Nicolas J.S. Davies | zcomm.org | 2019-02-01
This self-reinforcing vicious circle endangers us all, not least those of us who live at the heart of this corrupt and ultimately self-destructive empire…
zcomm.org/zmagazine/the-hidden-structure-of-u-s-empire/

How Do We Counteract Othering in America Today?
Christine Neumann-Ortiz | progressive.org | 2019-02-01
We turned to some leading thinkers and social justice activists to ask how we must reckon with prejudice.
progressive.org/magazine/how-counteract-othering/

Former US Spies Are Helping the UAE Hack Human Rights Activists
ZeroHedge | mintpressnews.com | 2019-02-01
Mainstream networks will likely shrug and yawn at this bombshell Reuters story, given that it doesn't involve Putin or Russia, but merely one of Washington's chief Arab Gulf oil and gas allies. | The post Former US Spies Are Helping the UAE Hack Human Rights Activists appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/former-us-spies-are-helping-the-uae-hack-human-rights-activists/254548/

Democrats Killed the Green New Deal
Rob Urie | counterpunch.org | 2019-02-01
Environmental activists received a reality check when newly empowered Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives pushed aside demands for an environmental economic transition program— a Green New Deal, in favor of reviving a toothless committee to 'study' the problem. A transition program is needed to mitigate the economic dislocations that will result from resolving the multiple environmental crises currently underway.
counterpunch.org/2019/02/01/democrats-killed-the-green-new-deal/

"5,000 troops to Colombia": U.S. threats against Venezuela increase
Paul Dobson | peoplesworld.org | 2019-02-01
MÉRIDA, Venezuela–Self-proclaimed "interim president" Juan Guaidó named a number of "diplomatic representatives" to those countries which have recognized him during the past week. The government of Nicolás Maduro, the actual president of Venezuela, along with its international allies are responding to new U.S. oil sanctions and preparing for possible military intervention. Guaidó designated fellow high-profile opposition members …
peoplesworld.org/article/5000-troops-to-colombia-u-s-threats-against-venezuela-increase/

UPDATED Venezuela: US Rejects Calls for Dialogue Ahead of Dueling Marches
Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-02-01
Draconian US sanctions and calls for dialogue set the stage for pro- and anti-government marches this weekend.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14282

Trump Explodes at CIA over Iran: "Naive and Passive," "Go Back to School!"
Juan Cole | mintpressnews.com | 2019-02-01
Ann Arbor ( Informed Comment) — Our great leader has delivered himself of some weighty pronouncements about Iran, about which he knows not a single little thing, likely even where exactly it is. He called the US intelligence agencies "passive and naive" on Iran, said that Tehran had become less active since Trump violated the 2015 nuclear deal, said Iran's economy is crashing, and urged Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and CIA director Gina Haspel to "go back to school." | The Intelligence people seem to be extremely pass…
mintpressnews.com/trump-explodes-at-cia-over-iran-naive-and-passive-go-back-to-school/254553/

Elliott Abrams: A Human Rights Horror Show in Three Acts
Brett Wilkins | counterpunch.org | 2019-02-01
Last Friday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that Elliott Abrams would once again be returning to government, this time as President Donald Trump's special envoy to help "fully restore democracy and prosperity" to Venezuela. Abrams, 71, is best known for abetting dictators and genocide in Latin America and for his role in the Iran-Contra scandal during…
counterpunch.org/2019/02/01/elliott-abrams-a-human-rights-horror-show-in-three-acts/

Russia, China on Defense and No Iranian Nuclear Bomb — US Intelligence Report
Shared by Jocelyn Dombroski | therealnews.com | 2019-02-01
Russia and China are responding to "perceived US unilateralism and interventionism" — Paul Jay joins Taya Graham to analyze the Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community | The post Russia, China on Defense and No Iranian Nuclear Bomb — US Intelligence Report appeared first on The Real News Network.
therealnews.com/stories/russia-china-on-defense-and-no-iranian-nuclear-bomb-us-intelligence-report

Trump praises US intelligence a day after telling them to 'go back to school' over Iran nukes
RT | rt.com | 2019-02-01
US President Donald Trump has reversed course on his spymasters' threat assessment, insisting his initial negative reaction — in which he dismissed their reports as "wrong" and "naàØve" — was based on (what else?) fake news. | …
rt.com/usa/450287-trump-reverses-intel-assessment/

Senate Vote Opposes Ending US Wars in Syria and Afghanistan
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2019-02-01
(ANTIWAR.COM) — In a surprising vote Thursday, the Senate voted 68-23 to pass a resolution from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) expressing opposition to President Trump's plan to withdraw US troops from Syria, and expressing opposition to any theoretical pullout from Afghanistan that might result from a negotiated deal to end that war. The non-binding resolution was passed …

"Go Back to School!": Trump Slams US Intelligence Chiefs as "Passive and Naive" on Iran
Middle East Eye | theantimedia.com | 2019-02-01
(MEE) — US President Donald Trump has called US intelligence chiefs "extremely passive and naive" regarding Iran, a day after they contradicted his views during congressional testimony. During a hearing on global threats on Tuesday, the leaders of several US intelligence agencies told the Senate Intelligence Committee that Iran is not taking steps towards making a nuclear …

45 Fridays on, Gaza is still resisting
stuart_m | greenleft.org.au | 2019-02-01
The 45th Friday of the Great March of Return took place on February 1. Each Friday since March 30 last year, Gazans have defied Israeli snipers — who have shot unarmed protesters, journalists and medics — to demand their right to return to their now Israeli-occupied lands. | The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories ( OCHA-OPT) said there have been more than 26,000 Palestinian injuries since the Great March began. Israeli injuries stand at 23. | Whereas Israeli injuries can be tr…
greenleft.org.au/content/45-fridays-gaza-still-resisting

Iranian workers' protests confront a regime in crisis
stuart_m | greenleft.org.au | 2019-02-01
Protests are continuing throughout Iran by teachers, nurses, labourers, retirees, oil industry workers, bazaar traders and shopkeepers, truck drivers, farmers, the unemployed, students, and other sectors, writes Minna Langeberg. | The current wave of protests continue those from December, which were brutally suppressed by the regime. They signal the deep crisis of legitimacy of the regime, as expressed by one of the most enduring slogans that emerged, "Fundamentalists, reformists, the game is over". | The main slogan of the current protests is "Bread. Work. Freedom". They are sporadic, self-organised, fragmented…
greenleft.org.au/content/iranian-workers-protests-confront-regime-crisis

Mohammed bin Salman Is Running Saudi Arabia Like a Man Who Got Away With Murder
Sarah Aziza | theintercept.com | 2019-02-01
The Saudi monarch is pursuing Hollywood stars for the country's "Year of Entertainment," while women activists are being tortured behind bars. | The post Mohammed bin Salman Is Running Saudi Arabia Like a Man Who Got Away With Murder appeared first on The Intercept.
theintercept.com/2019/02/01/mohammed-bin-salman-saudi-arabia-entertainment/

Five new books for ecosocialists
stuart_m | greenleft.org.au | 2019-02-01
Climate and Capitalism editor Ian Angus takes a look at five new books for an ecosocialists' bookshelf. Inclusion does not necessarily imply endorsement or agreement with a book's contents. | *** | Dust Bowls Of Empire: Imperialism, Environmental Politics, & the Injustice of 'Green' Capitalism | By Hannah Holleman | Yale University Press, 2018 | A clear and insightful analysis of the role of capitalism and colonialism in causing the US Dust Bowl of the 1930s and destroying farmland ar…
greenleft.org.au/content/five-new-books-ecosocialists-1

Australian activists say: to help Venezuela, lift sanctions and end intervention
stuart_m | greenleft.org.au | 2019-02-01
Australian solidarity activists are calling on Prime Minister Scott Morrison's government to demand the United States lift its sanctions on Venezuela and rule out any military intervention in the South American country. | Federico Fuentes, co-author of Latin America's Turbulent Transitions and co-convenor of the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network, said: "It is well known that Venezuela is passing through the worst economic crisis in its history. | "While focus has been placed on falling international oil prices and economic mismanagement by the Nicolas Maduro government, little attention has been paid to…
greenleft.org.au/content/australian-activists-say-help-venezuela-lift-sanctions-and-end-intervention

"Always in Season" Looks at 2014 Hanging in North Carolina and Racial Terrorism
Shared by Cherise | truthout.org | 2019-02-01
As we mark the beginning of Black History Month, we look at Always in Season, a disturbing new documentary that examines lynching in the United States both past and present. It also looks closely at the case of Lennon Lacy, a 17-year-old African-American high school student who, on August 29, 2014, was found hanging from two belts attached to a wooden swing set in a largely white trailer park in Bladenboro, North Carolina. Local authorities quickly determined his death to be a suicide, but Lacy's family and local civil rights activists feared authorities may have been covering up a lynching. We speak with Lacy…
truthout.org/video/always-in-season-looks-at-2014-hanging-in-nc-legacy-of-racial-terrorism/

Minneapolis: Fundraising event nets more than $3000 for Fight Back!
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-01-31
Minneapolis, MN — More than 75 trade unionists, anti-police-terror, immigrant rights, anti-war and student activists came together January 26 for a successful house party that netted more than $3000 for Fight Back!. | One of the event organizers, Matt Boynton stated, "The revolutionary press is of major importance in the struggle against capitalism in this country and around the globe. This fundraiser for Fight Back! was an incredible success." | Leader of trade unions and other people's organizations offered short toasts where they explained the importance of Fight Back! to their work. | Fight Back! editor…
fightbacknews.org/2019/1/31/minneapolis-fundraising-event-nets-more-3000-fight-back

US Sanctions on Venezuela Harm Human Rights of Innocent People, UN Expert Warns
OUHCFHR | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-01-31
UN Special Rapporteur for sanctions Idriss Jazairy says that the United States' attempt to topple the Venezuelan government with an oil embargo is illegal and will have grave humanitarian consequences.
venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/14283

EU Launches INSTEX To Facilitate Trade, Bypass US Sanctions on Iran
ZeroHedge | mintpressnews.com | 2019-01-31
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo previously warned of "swift punishment" for countries doing business with Iran, thus INSTEX is seen as a first small step toward greater European economic independence. | The post EU Launches INSTEX To Facilitate Trade, Bypass US Sanctions on Iran appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/europe-launches-instex-to-facilitate-trade-bypass-us-sanctions-on-iran/254524/

How Senators James Risch and Eliot Engel Are Preparing a New US War Against Syria
Thierry Meyssan | mintpressnews.com | 2019-01-31
Senators James Risch and Eliot Engel agree on nothing apart from their stubborn support for the Pentagon and Israel, and their hatred of Syria. | The post How Senators James Risch and Eliot Engel Are Preparing a New US War Against Syria appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/senators-james-risch-and-eliot-engel-are-preparing-a-new-us-war-against-syria/254537/

Over 60 Human Rights Groups Back Call to Boycott Eurovision in Israel
Middle East Monitor | mintpressnews.com | 2019-01-31
"The Israeli regime of military occupation, colonialism and apartheid is blatantly using Eurovision as part of its official strategy 'Brand Israel', which tries to show 'the most beautiful face of Israel' to whiten and divert attention from its war crimes against the Palestinians." | The post Over 60 Human Rights Groups Back Call to Boycott Eurovision in Israel appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/60-human-rights-groups-back-call-boycott-eurovision-israel/254519/

As Malaysia and Ireland Find Out, You Stand Up for Palestinian Rights at Your Peril
Miko Peled | mintpressnews.com | 2019-01-31
It takes an enormous effort for any country to oppose Israel, but particularly a small country that has to rely on bigger powers. It is even harder to impose effective pragmatic measures against Israel, as in the case of Ireland and Malaysia. | The post As Malaysia and Ireland Find Out, You Stand Up for Palestinian Rights at Your Peril appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/as-malaysia-and-ireland-find-out-you-stand-up-for-palestinian-rights-at-your-peril/254529/

Russia denounces U.S. cynicism sanctioning Venezuelan PDVSA
Eds. | mronline.org | 2019-01-31
Russia denounced Tuesday the U.S. cynicism by announcing sanctions against the Venezuelan oil company PDVSA and excluding from that sanction U.S. companies operating in the South American nation. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/01/31/russia-denounces-u-s-cynicism-sanctioning-venezuelan-pdvsa/

Everyday Life in Besieged Venezuela: A Conversation with Jessica Dos Santos
Cira Pascual Marquina — Venezuelanalysis | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-01-31
A young author presents intimate snapshots of ordinary life as it is lived by millions of Venezuelans during a grueling crisis fueled by deadly US sanctions and coup efforts.
venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/14286

Netanyahu's Brand of Tolerance for Anti-Semitism Goes Back 120 Years
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-01-31
The Israeli prime minister's ease with neo-Nazism and revisionist Holocaust history are not as surprising as they might seem, writes Daniel Lazare. By Daniel Lazare Special to Consortium News Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a soft spot for rightwing… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/01/31/netanyahus-brand-of-tolerance-for-anti-semitism-goes-back-120-years/